Ego And Alter

Here's Altaf Hussain on the question of ethno-nationalism:

HYDERABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Saturday evening said provincial and federal caretaker governments should ensure transparent and fair elections and called upon the people to cast their vote on Feb 18 as their national responsibility. He lashed out at the nationalist forces of Sindh and asked the people of the province not to pay any heed to them. He emphasised brotherhood among all linguistic groups living in Sindh, especially Sindhi- and Urdu-speaking people.

And here's Altaf Hussain on the question of ethno-nationalism:

Q.: Will a divided Pakistan be better for Indo-Pak relations?
A.: The persistent brutal acts of inflicting torture against many ethno-linguistic minorities will ultimately force the victims to think about a right to self-determination, rather than demanding their rights in the framework of a federation.

Speaking of chameleons, I love how the former-industrialist and supreme-court stormer Nawaz Sharif is now the champion of the poor and the judiciary. Actually, I'm only being half-sarcastic. I've always maintained that disaffected politicians serve the country much betetr by bitching about it from within the system than outside it. It's excellent news for the state of Pakistan that this seemingly popular man is contesting elections. Participating within the confines of an institution strengthens that institution. Of course, no one in their right mind thinks that any of our politicians are motivated by anything other than power, but that's really no different from most leaders in most countries. The bottom line is: it's good to have Nawaz bhai back. These last eight years haven't been the same without him.